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Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

thereviewers
May 16, 2015
2 min read

Zero Dark Thirty details the ten year story of how an elite team of intelligence and military operatives devoted themselves to a single goal, to find and or eliminate Osama Bin Laden, in order to protect America and exact revenge for the attacks of September 11 2001.

Overall Review Score

9 out of 10

Review

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by Mark Boal, Zero Dark Thirty takes the audience through the greatest manhunt for the world’s most dangerous man. While controversy surrounds certain aspects of the film, such as, whether the early depictions of torture were necessary and whether or not the US Government, or members thereof, provided the director and writer with classified information, this is quickly forgotten within the first ten minutes of the film. As the audience is entranced in a story that is driven by a good plot delivered at the right speed with the correct level of tension. It is a film that builds as it progresses and by then end the audience will be left on the edge of their seats wondering what can and, enviably, will go wrong next and how the filmmakers plan to end this rich, detailed and painstaking re-enactment of the Bin Laden manhunt. Overall, Zero Dark Thirty infuses large-scale action pieces, such as, the Bin Laden raid, with quasi-uneasy human interactions, such as, Maya fighting back tears or watching the raid with a dogged determination, in such a way that it builds a natural tension and makes the audience feel like they are actually living the event rather than watching it unfold. Zero Dark Thirty is a great semi-historically accurate breakdown of the Bin Laden manhunt that will fully satisfy audiences and will leave them with a lasting impression as Team 6 initiate their raid on May2 2011 at 00:30 (Zero Dark Thirty).

Reviewer 1's score & comments:

Score: 9 out of 10

Comments:

Zero Dark Thirty is an immersive and thrilling chronicle of the decade long hunt for Osama Bin Laden. Director Kathryn Bigelow does an excellent job in detailing the trials and tribulations of the intelligence team while blending this with heart pounding action, such as the film's final minutes. While the film’s 151-minute run time can seem daunting to potential viewers, I can assure you that you will not be disappointed. All in all a fantastic and original telling of the Osama Bin Laden raid, that kept me hooked throughout.

Reviewer 2's score & comments:

Score: 9 out of 10

Comments:

Zero Dark Thirty drops the audience straight into the action by making them witness a torture scene, without warning. The film then develops into a thrilling game of cat and mouse as intelligence services, mainly through the eyes of Maya (Jessica Chastain), sacrifices their life, morals, and careers in pursuit of a single goal. As the audience watches the action unfold, they are quickly engulfed in a story that is not only action-packed and thrilling but also provides a unique insight into the lives of the intelligence services. Zero Dark Thirty is not just a film attempting to retell history, its a film that brings history alive and leaves the audience with one clear message – sometimes you have to go to extraordinary lengths to protect the homeland.